


A boy and his Prey(Ex-fucking-cuse me?!)

by Kazushin14



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amaurotine Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Amaurotine!WOL isn't ready to take care of a bloodthirsty child, Amaurotine!WOL needs to learn how to be a parent, Child!/Pre-teen Zenos, Developing Friendships, Gen, Multi, Mutual Pining, Parental/Older Brother 14th, Patch 5.3 spoilers for the 14th Seat Office name, Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal, Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers, Patch 5.4 spoilers for two particular characters, Patch 5.4: Futures Rewritten, Pre-relationship Hades/Amarout!WOL, What-If, and there's also two stubborn tsunderes pining each other in the background, bloodthirsty zenos is still bloodthirsty, but no one wants to fight a smol 24/7 bloodthirsty touch starved child, flirting dumbass/oblivious smol angry dumbass, little zenos wants to fight everyone, no one is ready to be a parent, once a savage will always be a savage, what do you mean caring for an animal isn't how you take care of a child?!, you take that back before I come over and whoop your ass little brat!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23061667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazushin14/pseuds/Kazushin14
Summary: Alternate Title: Retrace to the first step of our dance, my Beast"Long ago, I dream I was that boy/that man, journeying in and out of the city with him for a hunt. I was conscious only of my happiness as that boy/that man with that person, unaware who I was. Soon I awake, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether it was then I was that boy/man dreaming with that person of us, or both of us now, dreaming of that boy/man and his prey/friend."What-if scenario based on 5.2 spoilers, takes place few years after Chronicles of Light: The Hunt Begins & before Tales from Shadow: Through his eyes
Relationships: Background Hades/Amaurotine WOL, Igeyorhm/Lahabrea (Final Fantasy XIV), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Platonic Zenos/Amaurotine Warrior of Light, Zenos & the 14th, Zenos yae Galvus & Warrior of Light
Kudos: 3





	1. Information

**Author's Note:**

> 8th Dec 2020: Because of Mitron's true name revealed, Igeyorhm's name will be changed subsequently

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite the 5.4 spoilers, both Mitron and Loghrif are not the same person as the ones in MSQ.  
Igeyorhm's true name has been replaced with Chione due to 5.4 spoilers.

**Alternate Title 1: **Retrace to the first step of our dance, my Beast  
**Alternate Title 2:** A boy and his Prey--Ex-fucking-cuse me?! Who the fuck you are calling a prey, you little piece of shithead?!! Watch your language in front of children, Phany!)

**Author's note:** Before this story came about, which was inspired by the fics written here, the idea was being played around in my head while writing for Raise the Dead, Healer. A What-If AU story where WOL and Zenos were childhood friends or at least one-sided rivalry with declaration they would beat the other when they were older. It was meant to be written as a joke where it was meant to sell as a fiction to gullible people in Eorzea for gils, much to my WOL's irritation XD  
With 5.2 out of that unexpected information, and yes I'm about to start Shadowbringers soon but I went ahead to search for spoilers, my whole head went at a different possibility of what if Zenos meet the Amaurotine incarnation of WOL, whom becomes his friend + rival.... And an eventual promise the next time they meet, their dance will continue? I'd thought of trying to write child!Zenos instead of him being adult, but still one-and-only Blood Knight who craves for challenges. Since there's a few post about him got me inspired both out of humor and wanting to develop what if both actually develop genuine friendship with each other... Or also one-sided, given Zenos's twisted thinking of friendship is there

As I'm still using my WOL from [Raise the Dead, Healer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21191774) and his backstory of Amaurotine life in [Recall the bygone days, 14th](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22069921)... It's still on debate whether do I want to link this story together or a whole separate story even with that alternate title planned. I can always make it more and more permanently AU given how far I've planned... Though given how far I've only written, this will more or less be one of my whims of writing for now

> Commission from [Ryuukeru @Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/ryuukeru/) with permission asked   
**Title:** "I'll be your one and only friend, Zenos."  
**Pairing:** Platonic Zenos/Amaurotine! Male WOL
> 
> _"Why don't I be your friend, Zenos? I know it's hard to trust my words from what you've been through. If there's anything I want in return, I want you and I to fight like this forever. To dance in this twilight field, where neither Convocation or your royal duties interferes our carnal desire for a challenge. You as yourself and me myself. It's... Boring living eons of life unable to find anyone understood the thrill and challenging your life on the stake. Until you came into my life, Zenos. Hehehe... I'm sure Headmistress spilled stories about me when I was younger. Always hopelessly praying to the Stars for a friend that's equal to me in sharing the same desire. Besides, while your personality is completely messed up, you have your weird code to follow of not attacking ones who are weak and harmless... That's why I like you a lot as your friend. It's really fun spending with you everyday by my side! So, what do you say, Prince Zenos? **May I be your friend?**"_

#  **Story Summary**

_"Long ago, I dream I was **the hunter**/that man, journeying in and out of the city with **his prey**/his friend for a hunt. I was conscious only of my happiness as **that hunter**/the man with **his prey**/his young friend, unaware who I was. Soon I awake, and there I was, veritably myself again. Now I do not know whether I was then me dreaming I was a **the hunter**/the man and **his prey**/his young friend, or whether I am now **the hunter**/the young man, dreaming he is me."_

Based on 5.2 spoilers with a What-if scenario twist. What happens when one of the many nights the young Garlean Prince dreams of the Final Days of Amaurot brought him back to much distant past? A time where Amaurot still exists in peace with lives going on about through their daily routine. And what happens when the young Amaurotine, Phany, encounters the young prince while serving his punishment of cleaning duties from a prank he done on three Convocation members? Would the sudden unexpected arrival of the young Garlean bring a change to his life-making decision on the taking the role of the 14th seat in the Convocation of Amaurot?

A range of long one-shots to short story drabbles on Zenos and Amaurotine!WOL, embracing that one freedom granted to them before their fate deems their time to take on their destined roles. A friendship between the young Garlean Prince aka the Hunter and the known-to-be the 14th aka the Prey

* * *

#  **Characters (for reference from Phany's nickname & before their titles)**

**Phany/Phan (real name: unknown)**

> Chief Zoologist of the life biology department and member of Public Service. A mischievous & thrill-seeking Amaurotine whom is one of the many candidates chosen to be appointed in the 14th seat of the Convocation.

**Zenos yae Galvus aka Zeze (by Phany)**

> Garlemald's young Crown Prince of 14 years old. An arrogant, callous youth whose dreams from his slumber brought him much further into the past of Amaurot, leading his encounter with Phany. 

**Hades aka Chief or Protege (by Phany's stubborn insistence)**

> Chief of Architecture Bureau in Amaurot. Childhood friend of Hythlodeaus & Phany, and also Zenos's great-grand sire in a far distant future 

**Hythlodeaus aka Hyth**

> Member of the Architecture Bureau in Amaurot. Childhood friend of Hades & Phany

**Igeyorhm aka Chime-chime  
True Name: Chione**

> Member of the Convocation of Fourteen

**Lahabrea aka Arey  
True Name: Ares**

> Speaker of the Convocation of Fourteen

**Nabriales aka Achly  
True Name: Achlys**

> Member of the Convocation of Fourteen and Phany's arch-rival

**Elidibus aka Hermy  
True Name: Hermes**

> Emissary of the Convocation of Fourteen

**Gerry  
True Name: Gerun**

> Right-hand man and twin brother of Elidibus

**Venat aka Ven**

> A public member of the Amaurot City

**Pashtarot**

**Emmerololth **

**Loghrif**

**Mitron**

> Member of the Convocation of Fourteen

**Gai-Gai**   
**True Name: Gaia**

> A forgetful yet snarky apprentice to Loghrif & Artemy's love interest, where she's officially chosen by the said member to inherit his title.

**Artemy**   
**True Name: Artemis**

> An overly laxed apprentice to Mitron & considered by Amaurotines to be Gai-Gai's protector. Like Gai-Gai, he's next to inherit Mitron's title despite his hopeless behavior at times.

**Emet-Selch  
True Name: Thanatos**

> Member of the Convocation of Fourteen, and Mentor to both Hades and Hythlodeaus

**The 14th, Azem aka Headmistress (by Phany. By 5.3 patch spoilers, her Convocation title is used for this story)  
True Name: Hestia**

> Current Member of the 14th seat in the Convocation and Headmistress of an orphanage where Phany resided until adulthood


	2. Prologue: And then, an angel(demon?) came into my life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> >   
"I was pretty sure that among all the things both Hermy and Headmistress told me about becoming a member of the Convocation... Babysitting one rabid vicious, violent and bloodthirsty little demon out of nowhere was definitely not part of the requirement!"
> 
> \-- Phany, at the end with a sleeping Zenos in his arm 

“Consider this mischief outdone all other mischiefs you produced, Phan.”

Inside the archival warehouse, the female black-robed figure with a red cross-shaped mask chided at the smaller white-masked colleague.

While her other white-masked colleague cross-checking with the document in their hold at the desk, the said person grinned. “You had to admit this is the best one so far, Chime-chime. You should have looked at those old geezer Emmeroloth, Loghrif, and Mitron’s face when the buzzard came into the forum and chasing them like headless Chocobo!”

Despite the apologetic grin on Phany’s face, his essence radiated remorseless at the turmoil he caused. 

His casual remark made Chime-chime scowled at him, “It’s Igeyorhm to you—!”

“After work hours, Chime-chime!” The shorter figure interjected after moving the carton for discarding to a corner with a flick of his wrist.

“Well, only because it’s a ‘complete’ coincidence Lahabrea was conducting his experiment on those newly created buzzards both of you worked together.” 

The Amaurotine woman continued, “On the same day, the very three Convocation members conducting a seminar on agriculture production.”

“And I declare the experiment was a perfect result!” Packing the last paperwork into the box, the Amaurotine man smirked before snapping his finger to seal the box. “Now only in due bells, their wings can experience the currents in the sky of their flight to freedom!”

From this point, Chime-chime made a resigned sigh and shook her head in dismay. “To think you’re one of the many candidates nominated for the 14th seat…”

“Wasn’t it because I’m elected for my creative genius?” Phany teased.

Underneath her mask, the Martyr rolled her eyes before turning her other colleague. 

“Venat, don’t you have anything of lecture into this buffoon?”

“He already had his scolding and discipline by both the Emissary and other members of the Convocation, Igeyorhm.” Venat spared a light beam to their frustrated colleague. “Also Phany is the finest candidate by far to take on the seat of the 14th the moment she stepped down to retire.”

As another aggravated sigh left Chime-chime’s lips, Phany burst out laughing and assured. “Loosen up, Chime-chime. As distinguished as I am from Ven’s humble praise, Headmistress won’t be retiring soon. I’m content with my current position if you must know. Besides, aren’t we too impulsive to vote I’ll be appointed? Or the Convocation has made their mind?”

“No. If I were you, Phany, I would start thinking of your next concept to impress them on the coming moons of Invention Fair.” Emphasized in a forthright tone, Chime-chime added. “Lahabrea, Elidibus, and the 14th have high expectations given your absurd yet intriguing concepts of life.”

“…… Of course, Chime-chime.” Phany’s lips formed a thin line unknown to the two, before shifting into a smirk and bowed. “Lest I hoped to disappoint you and your ‘beloved partner’s’ trust in me, Chime-chime. No way I’m losing when Achly will enter with his own ‘absurd’ creation!”

“Urgh, I give up! How does the Chief Architect and Hythlodaeus deal with you?!” Spun around, Chime-chime removed her mask briefly to rub the bridge of her nose. She turned to speak of a different topic, “Anyway…. Have you both heard about dubious character lurking around the warehouse?”

“Excuse me?” Phany paused his process of summoning another empty box.

Venat now set the paperwork Phany sent over aside before swinging to Chime-chime. “Nay, Igeyorhm. Have they have stolen something?”

“Nothing too serious of concern, Venat,” Chime-chime assured.

“According to what I learn, this figure was seen lurking around.

“We don’t know what’s their aim, but the security is looking for them.”

“Hmm… Could it be an elusive creature from the Akadaemia?” Phany questioned.

“Lahabrea accounted for them all remained in their enclosures to the security. Included the ones, you’ve sneaked out now and then along for a ‘field trip.’” The Martyr glowered at one of his mischiefs, involving breaking a concept creature out to the open to roam free.

While Phany shot a sheepish, apologetic grin, Venat hummed. “Any inkling of what our thief looks like?”

“No one even got a glimpse. However, the footprints left behind very much, exactly like us. But, it’s the size of a child.”

Underneath his white mask, Phany’s eyes narrowed with concern. “A child?”

A stiff nod from the Martyr, she clarified. “It matched how they escaped from the warehouse after having their stomach filled. While there are still doubts at the unnatural prowess of slash marks of breaking the door to escape… Everything of the thief fits the exact description of a young child.”

Raised one hand to rub his chin, Phany queried. “Has anybody come by to the warehouse with their own kid tagging along?”

“As far in the registers from what I’ve checked the last time, no, Phany,” Venat answered. “The convocation made explicit only endorsed personnel may enter. The visitor is to wait by the guard post for the respective member to come over to meet them.”

“That left with either group of youngsters up to their own playfulness,” Phany headed to the cabinet to open.

“Or a spy using the kids to penetrate for classified material.”

Moved his head to the front, Phany was about to retrieve the urn for discard…. Only to stop and stunned what he saw. Seconds afterward, Venat’s concerned voice called out to him. “Is something the matter, Phany?”

Slammed the cabinet closed, Phany whirled to them hurriedly. “I remembered! I… I left Hermy’s given note at my desk, could the two of you fetch it for me please?!”

“Really? How likely of you to neglect the crucial things.” Chime-chime scoffed at the small Amaroutine man clapping both hands together to plead.

“Sure, it’s on your desk, right?” Venat stood from their seat and headed towards the exit. “I could bring us coffee while we’re at it.”

“Thanks a lot, Ven!” Phany smiled. His gaze landed onto the Martyr, letting out a dismayed sigh. The dread feeling returned at her presence, and he hastily continued. “Hold on, why not take Chime-chime along with you? Her aether has been giving off boredom ever since we started. She could use fresh air after being cooped up for so long!”

Phany went forward to the said woman, his hands raised and pushed to compel her to follow her colleague. Chime-chime frowned and shrugged his hands away. “Did you not recalled whom do I have to watch over his punishment for sneaking rat meat into three convocation members…. Hence, letting those buzzards hunting down as their prey?”

“Yes, yes, it’s my fault, and I’m serving my punishment!” Phany rolled his eyes under the mask. He produced another assured grin, pushing the Martyr towards the door. “I won’t run off anywhere until I gather all the old works for scrap!”

“I believe I was more in charge that you don’t turn any old theories into a living being at your own whims of inspiration.”

“Pfft! The only inspiration I’m getting is a broom-like creature—I’m kidding! Kidding, so stop glaring at me, would you?!” Balked at her icy glare sensed beneath her mask, Phany stopped his pushing once Chime-chime was at the exit with Venat.

“Hmm….” Chime-chime stared at the smaller Amaurotine before her, pursuing to pierce his grin to reach for his aether to investigate any suspicious idea.

Phany frowned at her suspicions. “Do you not believe what I said? Or should I fetch Master Emet to verify my words hold nothing but the truth?”

Seconds to minutes as both going on with their stare-down contest, the Martyr eventually gave up and whirled to the exit. “The last thing I need from you is to write a report of your latest creation, creating another wreck. You can get yourself locked out from napping for all I care for as long as you performed your punishment.”

A burst of portal formed by her aether appeared as Chime-chime stepped in to enter. Venat turning their head to Phany showed a reassuring grin and waved before following their companion into the portal.

Watching the portal vanished before him, Phany scoffed before grumbling. “Don’t you even lump me with that grouchy Chief for his chronic need of sleep….

“Yet still perfectly capable of conjuring breath-taking landscape architectures!”

Saved the rest of his complaints when they returned, Phany turned towards the now vacant room and cried out. “You can come out now. The ice queen and my friend are gone, they won’t be back soon.”

Instead of a movement or a cry, the silence only greeted the Amaurotine man. He tipped his head after closing his eyes to use his aether to detect. The figure remained in the room. Were they scared that he planned to hand them over to the convocation for intruding without realizing?

“I wish to talk. I doubt you mean harm, and no one will bear against you for being here by accident. Your parents are possibly searching for you, so it’s alright.”

At the second try, silence still greeted him. Feelings of worried and dread surged in Phany’s heart, they couldn’t be dead, right…?

Swallowed down a nervous gulp, the Amaurotine man hurriedly headed to the cabinet where he discovered them. Yet, when he opened…. There were boxes, scattered documents, and none were the figure he saw when he first opened the cabinet.

“Huh? Where did the—?!” As Phany questioned at the vacant spot where he met the figure…

**WHOOSH! CLANG!!!**

The blade of a steel rapier clashed against the translucent, glowing blue barrier formed from Phany’s outstretched palm. 

Despite having his experience of dealing with surprise assault from poaching, this was a new challenge for him.

Not merely his opponent used physical assault to attack at him… A child, or rather a juvenile judging by his youthful-looking appearance. 

Luscious golden blonde shoulder hair length, empty and bored blue eyes now somehow glinted when the Amaurotine man deflected his strike.

He’d had impressed Phany at how beautiful he was, like an angel that transcended down from the heavens with the beautiful robes he wore. But that image burned into ashes when he spoke. “You’re different. Many felled easily at my first strike. Some survived to the second or third… A few showed potentials, but they were a disappointment. But, you… You seem promising enough.”

“That’s mere because your arrogance chose me to be your opponent, brat,” Phany growled, his bored tone grating his annoyance. 

His hand withholding the barrier tighten to unleash more aether to support. 

Even his opponent was much younger than him… The strength Chime-chime mentioned felt from how his rapier continued to press forward.

“Bold words proclaimed from savages, yet their strength does not match to their claim.” Drawing his rapier back, the blonde-haired boy taunted. “Come, entertain me to prove your words hold a little weight in them.”

“Back at you too, kid. How about you let your blade do the talking, and we shall know,” At that point, awareness dawned upon Phany how he dug his own grave even further. Oh, he’ll be earning more than just a lecture for fighting against a teen. “O-On second thought, let us just talk—Woah!”

Barely dodging the blade swinging across his abdomen, Phany rested against Venat’s desk and corrected. “I’m not taking back about fighting with you, but can’t we just lay down and discuss first?!”

“Did you not state to let my blade do the speaking?” The blonde-haired boy reiterated the Amaurotine man’s words. 

Sidestep, ducking, and forming of a barrier to evade the boy’s attack each time, everything in the room tore apart by the weapon’s sharp blade. Or Phany’s own collision into the furniture and cartons to fend off his attack. From each thrust he drove, the young boy returned. “If you want your answer, earn the privilege, beast.”

“Beast, you say…” Irritation boiled inside Phany’s soul, propelling himself off the table to move away from the boy. 

Just as the blonde-haired youth raised his rapier to deflect or return with his own attack, Phany disappeared before him in a blink of blue light. The young child looked around, gazing everywhere and perceiving with all six senses on the man’s next step.

Contrary to a strike he predicted, Phany reappeared behind the youth with his palm raised to his head. When the latter swung to attack him, the Amaroutine man commanded, “Here’s an identical taste of medicine on dealing with a beast for you, brat. Sleep!”

Gentle blue light shone into the child’s face. His blue orbs slowly shut; his body fell limp as his consciousness drifted into slumber. Phany caught the boy with one arm and sagged onto the ground, his own white mask and hood dropped from his head.

His short white hair in a complete mess from all the running. Heavy fatigue breath escaped his lips, Phany’s maroon orbs stared down at the youth before studying at the room. Now the panicked feeling came back into his guts tenfold. The convocation would have his head for the wreckage he created.

One hand rose to smack against his scarred face, Phany let out a frustrated grunt. “Better clean this as promise before taking this brat home with me…”

** _ <<END>> _ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A somewhat violent start of their unexpected relationship for both Phany and young Zenos.  
I'll apologize now in advance if everyone is extremely OOC... Most personality are based on fics and canon of what I managed to grasp. For some, I'll headcanon them out of what I have in mind.  
Again, there'll be some original characters created as citizens of Amaurot for this story  
In regards for a plot on this story... The base is already there as it's mainly Phany's POV since it's more of his journey before becoming the 14th
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys like the prologue for this inspirational's whim out of nowhere OTL


	3. Dream 1.1: A Hero and his Foil (Zenos’s POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> >   
The scarred man gave a brief look at his white mask and set it aside on the bed before facing the young prince. “You deserved at least this much to know the real face of your adversary. But what’s your name and how did you end up wandering around the warehouse?”
>> 
>> Instead of a terse reply, a pointed stare with silence by Zenos was the answer he got. As though he foresaw, he rolled his eyes and revealed, “Since you wanted that weapon to do the talking, I asked your soul myself, Prince Zenos.”

Of his grandfather’s magnificent collection of books inside the royal castle’s library, the epic stories he collected always attracted the young crown prince, Zenos.

In these novels, there were consistently three character types. First, the ‘Hero,’ which he yearned to clash the most. They were always the strongest, wielding the challenge he coveted in his dull life.

The second was the ‘Villian,’ the contrary role of Hero, who was against their ambition for their own cause. 

This character reminded very much of his great-grandfather’s wish to broaden his empire for the annihilation of Eikons.

And rebellions of Ilsabard, the self-proclaimed Heroes, tried to crush the empire without success.

Last, the character he found himself most interested in was a role that fitted neither a hero nor villain known as the ‘Foil.’ One who went by their path, siding with neither sides and free to do as they wanted. And one who was personally often in conflict with the Hero.

Yet as much as he wanted the freedom to hunt his ‘Hero,’ Zenos glared at the closet with slash markings formed by his rapier. Both his hands bounded by glowing blue tendrils made of aether conjured by the hooded, masked man attempting to feed him a spoonful of soup.

The young Garlean prince awoken by the peculiar noises from the bizarre critters, notifying their creator’s attention. 

When he entered, a one-sided battle began. 

The savage defending himself with magical barriers one after another.

Spouted unnecessary pleas of stopping, when it was within his ability to do so. He dared to hold back his power, the same gaze of thinking he wasn’t a worthy foe to go against. From a blind spot, the very coward conjured his magic to bind his hand. His rapier taken and disappeared into thin air.

As though sensing his resentment, the hooded figure beside him sighed and set the bowl onto the ground. “I don’t see what’s your game in picking fights twice your own size, kid. But I simply wanted to talk... Without that strange weapon doing the job.”

The hooded man mumbled foreign curses and comments of needing to repair his room after settling his punishment earlier. 

At how preoccupied he was, Zenos took another view of the place he’s confined in.

It’s an estimated the size of the area comparable to a servant’s quarters back in Garlemald. 

The young prince noted how the slashed tables and cabinet set with bodies of a creature’s skeletal figures and sketches.

Unlike the zoologist of studying of beasts, the pieces were like a draft designing of an airship or weapon. 

But, a concept study of an animal’s appearance and primitive nature.

His head faced back to the hooded man complaining to himself, Zenos moved his hands stealthily to rip off the white mask. The act forced the strange man to understand what he just did as his hood tipped back…. Revealed a short white-haired young adult in his mid-20s.

Pale skin contrasted against the dull pinkish burned patches all over his face. Wounded scars around his left eye and right cheek, and dark red tattoo-looking mark at the top right of his face.

The unmasked man’s stunned face turned annoyed to the youthful prince examining his stolen mask. “Hmm… For a savage who desires for all talk, your earlier words in meeting my blade say otherwise.”

With the mask gone, reddish-brown eyes masking a specific emotion behind his annoyance to the young prince. The older man yanked his white mask back from the boy’s hands. “Whatever you are thinking…. The disastrous state of my face isn’t from a battle you think, brat. But…”

The scarred man gave a brief look at his white mask and set it aside on the bed before facing the young prince. “You deserved at least this much to know the real face of your adversary. But what’s your name and how did you end up wandering around the warehouse?”

Instead of a terse reply, a pointed stare with silence by Zenos was the answer he got. As though he foresaw, he rolled his eyes and revealed, “Since you wanted that weapon to do the talking, I asked your soul myself, Prince Zenos.”

Now, there’s a brief gleam of surprise before Zenos hardened his expression to an indifferent emotion.

The enigmatic man simply smirked and added. “You’re born as a royal member to your father, Varis yae Galvus, in the land of Garlemald. That’s it. I could pry deeper into your memories… But I suppose you’d rather do the talking yourself.”

“How did you know, savage?”

Zenos asked, now seemingly curious rather than alarmed at how the strange man learned his identity.

The mysterious man’s reddish-brown eyes rolled at the insulting moniker and glowered.

“It’s ‘Phan’ or ‘Phany’ if you bother to ask my name. Like I said, I read into your soul. An innate ability of an Amaurotine to communicate and share information via our soul.”

“Amaurotine?” Zenos repeated.

“That’s what we call our kind, which… By your recollections, Amaurot doesn’t exist in your world. Neither your nation exists on ours,” Phany tilted his head to wonder. “You don’t show to be from another Star either. So, how did you even arrive here?”

From how genuine the perplexity and amazement came from the beastly looking, Amaurotine, Zenos answered. “I was sleeping after another day of combat training. When I woke up, I was in that warehouse.”

Except, this wasn’t his first time dreaming in his sleep about Amaurot.

Instead of the expected world-ending tragedy of a red meteor falls burning the entire city….

A peaceful yet boring period where Amaurot yet perished.

Rather than uneventful, it’s more of annoyance to the youthful prince after meeting and captured by his ‘hunter.’ Phany’s eyes twitched while repeated the forthright answer. “A… Asleep, you say…?”

The scarred Amaurotine’s face scrunched up, uncertain whether to retort for the believable lie or incredulity at how sincere his words sounded. Even at his slight nod, Phany let out a baffled groan. “But for your dreams to get you here—No, wait…. Perhaps it is achievable, but…”

**Knock knock!**

“Phany, are you in there?! Your team has confessed you’re not in the office if that’s your attempt in truancy.”

An unfamiliar yet familiar angry and frigid woman’s voice yelled from the entrance.

The said man’s frame shook in shock at the abrupt arrival of the figure at his apartment. “Are you kidding me?! I swore to hell I’ve already cleared my punishment with Hermy, damn it!”

Reddish-brown eyes flitted between the young prince and the door. The scarred Amaurotine smacked his palm onto his face, then stared hard at the prince. “Wait right here. Don’t even bother breaking those bonds to pick a fight with Artemy. I’ll be back soon…”

Stood from his chair and retrieved his mask to set back on his face, Phany left the room with creatures of his work coming out of hiding. Little did the man knew, Zenos was not one to obey orders from a savage, especially from his cowardly hunter.


	4. Dream 1.2: A Hero and his Foil (Phany’s POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> > _  
_
>> 
>>   
Incessant knocking and ringing of his doorbells, the scarred Amaurotine, Phany, yanked, opened the door in irritation. “All right, alright, I’m here—! Well, what brings you here to my lovely home, Artemy…?”
>> 
>> Unlike his appeasing grin to the black-robed, red masked woman before him, Igeyorhm glowered at the slightly smaller masked man. “Nice try, Phan. Smooth-talking your way out will not work, unlike with Elidibus.”
>> 
>> The Martyr raised a black-gloved finger to jab him at each punctuated word, “What. Did. I. Told. You. About. Doing. ‘Your.’ Punishment?”
> 
> __  
_   
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zenos's soul color I'm going by the Stormblood usage of his aether during his fights

Incessant knocking and ringing of his doorbells, the scarred Amaurotine, Phany, yanked, opened the door in irritation. “All right, alright, I’m here—! Well, what brings you here to my lovely home, Artemy…?”

Unlike his appeasing grin to the black-robed, red masked woman before him, Igeyorhm glowered at the slightly smaller masked man. “Nice try, Phan. Smooth-talking your way out will not work, unlike with Elidibus.”

The Martyr raised a black-gloved finger to jab him at each punctuated word, “What. Did. I. Told. You. About. Doing. ‘Your.’ Punishment?”

“Come on… I finished and serve with the repentance of my crime, right?” Phany groaned at her complaints, pushed her jabbing finger away. “All the old archives packed ready to dispose of. Report written, checked, and verified before sending it to Hermy, so what’s missing—?”

“The only thing missing in point of serving your punishment is doing alone,” Igeyorhm emphasized at the last word. 

“You’re lucky Venat wanted me to withhold this from Elidibus, believing you served your sentence.”

“You will need to be more specific, Artemy.” The shorter, Amaurotine man rolled his eyes under the mask. Where on the bloody star she conjured that assumption? “I worked alone as you said—Oh… I see what you mean…”

“Oh, really?” Igeyorhm doubted. Her frown giving him the message, daring him to lie how wrong she detected a random staff instead of a kid.

“Look here. About that strange kid came into the warehouse or anything, yeah, I met them. But I send them packing home to where their parents were, Artemy.” Phany moved one of his hand behind his hooded head to rub in frustration. “They stole nothing dangerous. Just a mischievous little brat think it’s amusing to vandalize out from a dare game.”

“So, you send them ‘packing home’? Instead of handing them to the Convocation of Fourteen of their practical jokes?” Now, if Phany had to prefer between the Emissary’s little brother’s lecture or her nagging…. At least the former yelled his head off, then done with him for the day.

Phany let out an exasperated sigh before showing a dubious frown. “You expect me to bring them home with me? Please, I know that much difference between a living person and an animal for adoption. Which…. As much as I’d like to have my own children someday, I’m not kidnapping them from another family.”

“What’s this about an animal?” 

A familiar voice asked, “You’ve brought another home, Phany?”

Spun his head to where the familiar voice was, Phany exclaimed in surprise at the familiar figure coming from the apartment hallway. 

“Hyth!”

“Just the man I’m looking for,” The Martyr let out a relieved huff, switching her attention to the taller black-robed white-masked Amaurotine coming towards them. “I hope you are free for this moment to borrow your perception of truth, Hythlodaeus.”

“Oh, dear… Did little Phany lied his way out of trouble again, Igeyorhm?” 

Hythlodaeus wondered, stopping beside the two.

“That depends if he’s absolutely virtuous of his accounts being alone in that warehouse. And his meeting with that brat.” 

Igeyorhm, along with Hythlodaeus, cast her gaze at the culprit before them.

“Are you serious? You must use one of Master Emet-Selch’s finest prized pupils to see if I’m lying?! And, I thought we knew each other better than this, Artemy….” The smaller Amaurotine let out a tremendous sigh and shaking his head exaggeratedly in dismay.

While Hythlodaeus chuckled at Phany’s dramatic disappointment to the Martyr, the said Martyr crossed her arms and glared beneath her mask. “Oh, I do. I know your penchant to lie your way out to get your mischief working, or plotting to terrorize the whole of Amaurot from your creations in the Akademia days, Phan.”

“Could you not treat my adorable kids’ affections of love as terrorizing?” Phany rolled his eyes, later let out a frustrated huff, repeating with a decisive tone. “I’ll say again for all our sake. After you and Ven left, I was packing the specified old archives to discard and found the child hiding inside the cupboard.

“I gave said kid my hell of a lecture for assuming it’s funny to vandalize in a prohibited zone. But a child is still a child. They pleaded how sorry they were and hoped I wouldn’t press this to the Convocation, so… I let them went home to their family.”

“Hmm…,” After letting out a deep, thoughtful hum, Hythlodaeus finally turned towards the Martyr. “Looks like Phany is speaking the truth, Igeyorhm. His aether is clear as his conscience. And he’s already had enough scolding from a day.”

“… Very well,” Igeyorhm resigned to accept Hythlodaeus’s verdict. She thus shifted to Phany and acknowledged. “Venat and I will overlook this… For now. The least you do is to inform me before you escape your punishment.”

“Oh, come on! I serve them, didn’t I?” Phany’s protest was fallen deaf onto Igeyorhm, who spun around to her conjured portal to left his apartment.

Seeing the portal vanished, the smaller Amaurotine shook his head, “Ice queen sure is tough to please…”

“I’m positive that’s why Lahabrea enjoys heating her up.” 

Hythlodaeus chuckled, only for his childhood friend groaning as a plea not to elaborate further.

“Now then, I believe you owe me a story for covering you, Phany. Not alone, you didn’t let me in of your tricks on those old clowns, you never told me you’re planning for it! I could have them run into a tower of hornets to shelter, later getting chased and stung!!”

A sheepish grin curled on the smaller Amaurotine from his taller childhood friend’s pouting face. “Maybe the next round of my greatest concept, we’ll scare them together, Hyth.”

Phany lifted one hand to flutter, assuring to his childhood companion, “Also, it’s no big deal. That damn brat was holing up in that damn closet like a fugitive soul ready to terrify the crap out of people!”

“Uh-huh, I know that part is true. But the latter half isn’t, Phany. I’ve known you longer than Igeyorhm to learn of your schemes, so where is he?” Hythlodaeus smiled deliberately, making Phany’s aether sank with panic. He had forgotten how and why his childhood friend was one of Emet-Selch’s most exceptional students by his strong perception of souls.

Drew in a heavy breath, Phany now attempted convinced his friend to leave. “Hyth, listen…. I love you so much like my actual brother, unlike that ass, we all appreciate and love. But it’s nothing at all. All right, perhaps something if you were there dealing him akin to wild, frenzied monkeys like Achly’s concept. I’ve taken care of him with no trouble!”

“And that you did. Now, let’s meet your new friend into the family!” Hythlodaeus grinned, moving past his smaller childhood friend to invade his apartment.

“What the—? W… Wait a minute, Hyth!” Flabbergasted emotion spiked from Phany’s aether, swinging his head back and forth before giving chase to his childhood friend.

=*=

“Good grief, Hyth! I appreciate we’re sort of family, but don’t just barge into my house….” Phany barged in back to his own room, finding Hythlodaeus examining the turbulent state of the place. Phany’s said childhood friend returned with an idle nod. 

His head moved from left to right to examine the room and added, “True…. But family worry if you and your creations are having another family feud again, Phany.”

Except, it wasn’t his creation, but a wild rabid human-looking animal tore apart the smaller Amaurotine’s room. 

Before Phany explained himself, the cries of the youngling creatures came over to greet his creator’s friend. 

Hythlodaeus grinned, kneeling down on one knee. “Hello there, everyone. Did you guys miss me?”

Seeing how Hythlodaeus focusing on his little friends, Phany concentrated on locating the missing prince from the vacant bed. “What the…? Did he run home?! No, this Garlemald he uttered doesn’t even exist of my time and place. Where did he…?!”

Before Phany made any movement, he noticed the familiar bluish-gray bird perching at his work desk. He tilted his head and wondered, “Hadey…? Where is he looking at…?”

Once approaching close, Phany closed his eyes in giving himself to relive the memories of what the shoebill had seen. After opening his eyes, he went towards the window from the memories, reflecting himself. “He stands here for a while then…”

“That’s odd, I could have sworn there’s a unique shade of red like your soul’s uniqueness was here.” Hythlodaeus’s voice snapped Phany out from his thoughts. The latter whirling behind to catch his childhood friend picking up his young fawn into his arm, heading to the damaged cupboard.

Immediately stepping in between the cupboard and Hythlodaeus, the smaller Amaurotine explained of his odd behavior. 

“He’s… He is timid around strangers, Hyth.”

Displayed a promising grin to his childhood companion, Phany added. “I’ll introduce him to you and the Protégé once he’s a little more comfortable, alright?”

After studying his childhood friend with soul-wrecking minutes of his mind, Hythlodaeus grinned. After setting the young fawn done, he lifted one hand to push aside the shorter Amaurotine’s hood to ruffle his hair teasingly. “All right, it’s a promise. Give either Hades or me a call if babysitting is overtaxing you and your work, Phany.”

“I think you should save that for the Protégé. His habit of overwork himself in favor of a nap needs improvement by Master Emet-Selch’s worries.” Phany grumbled with a pout. Both hands smoothing his hair from being jumbled up by his childhood friend.

“And here, your draft passed by Lahabrea.” From thin air, an envelope conjured in Hythlodaeus’s hand before giving it to his childhood friend. “He wants to see your next creation come to life by the coming weeks. Last, Pashtarot was searching for you at your office, find him when you have the time.”

Patting his head one last time, Hythlodaeus left the room and apartment. Once making sure Hythlodaeus was out of hearing range, Phany called out. “… Come out, Zenos. You’re hiding in my room by the Stars know where. You would quit my place while I spoke to the ice queen and Hyth. Yes, I likewise noticed you’re listening in our conversation earlier.”

Again, silence returned to Phany as the answer to his call. However, he needn’t wait long as a familiar tone responded behind him. “… And things were starting to be a little more interesting…”


	5. Dream 1.3: A Hero and his Foil (Zenos’s POV)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> > The rapier blade insistently pressed forward to break through the barrier. Zenos’s bored voice now with disbelief and irritation at the nickname his prey dared gave him. “What did you just call me, beast…? ‘Zeze’…?”
>> 
>> “I won to a certain extent from that last fight. It’s only right the victor gets to call by whatever name they chose.” Phany answered before delivering a sneer at him. “Keep calling me savage or beast, and that’ll be your name forever in my mind, Zeze.”
>> 
>> How dare this savage claimed he won from the ambush? Zenos’s blue orbs beneath the mask narrowed with irritation. The grip of his rapier tightened, plunging its blade forward with more tenacity than before.

“Come on… I finished and serve with the repentance of my crime, right?” Phany’s voice grumbled from outside the room where the young Garlean prince was. “All the old archives packed ready to dispose of. Report written, checked, and verified before sending it to Hermy, so what’s missing—?”

“The only thing missing in point of serving your punishment is doing alone,” This other savage called ‘Artemy,’ his cowardly hunter remarked, joined with an angry tone.

“You’re lucky Venat wanted me to withhold this from Elidibus, believing you served your sentence.”

“You will need to be more specific, Artemy. I worked alone as you said—Oh….” A realization like a revelation dawned upon the spineless savage; his voice murmured. “I see what you mean…”

In between annoyance and an impulse to kill him, Zenos couldn’t determine which grew more forceful in his heart. With the scarred face of his hunter…. No, his prey imprinted in his mind…. Not merely this Amaurotine being a wimp, but a complete fool altogether.

Zenos moved from the bed to the door to overhear the exchange taking place outside upon waiting seconds later once his prey opened to attend his guest.

Phany’s loud voice shared the entire conversation with his neighbors, which allowed blond-haired youth to make snide remarks in his head.

“A hunter blind to his own surroundings with a single-minded drive to hunt for its prey…. Tis’ no doubt that savage know,” Zenos mentally snarked in his head. Whatever the scarred Amaurotine did when he was comatose, he wasn’t good at covering up. But…

The youthful prince felt a sharp gaze directed at him from where he stood. Blue orbs scanned the room to discover nothing from the normal. Phany’s little ‘pets’ or creation remained of their feeble attempts to hide away from him. However, among the terrified hatchlings, a bluish-gray bird with an orange bill beak perched at the work desk.

“Hmm…?” The young prince returned its unblinking gaze with his calculative own. Was it curious at him for his intrusion which his Master took him home? No, it didn’t suggest that idea.

Golden orbs from the strange bird were noticeably much akin to his great grandfather Emperor Solus zos Galvus.

The same gaze appeared during strategic war meetings or guests to his throne when he—!

“Hoh… I see…,” Zenos muttered knowingly at the bird. An expression where it waited for his next act, observing and studying the threat, risked against his Master’s life. A slight smirk curled on the prince’s lips at how amusing his prey’s pet was.

“Look here. About that strange kid came into the warehouse or anything, yeah, I met them. But I send them packing home to where their parents were, Artemy.” Phany’s frustrated voice sought to make a pathetic excuse of a lie to stop his associate from entering his apartment.

“They stole nothing dangerous. Just a mischievous little brat think it’s amusing to vandalize out from a dare game.”

“So, you send them ‘packing home’? Instead of handing them to the Convocation of Fourteen of their practical jokes?”

‘Artemy,’ the other savage, repeated with an incredulous tone.

“You expect me to bring them home with me? Please, I know that much difference between a living person and an animal for adoption. Which…. As much as I’d like to have my own children someday, I’m not kidnapping them from another family.”

Zenos shifted his head to where the argument he heard from. His prey remained true to his words in covering for him with another weak excuse of his own. He spun on his heels to go to the window.

Bounded hands lifted closer to the emotionless blue orbs for observation. Then, the young prince directed his gaze at the scenery outside the window. The tendrils anchored his wrist, yet with his own strength, the young prince could tear them apart.

And lastly, the windows weren’t locked…. As though the scarred Amaurotine gave him the cover to escape from his captive. Like his hunter proclaimed to his now two friends outside of his apartment of how he let him go.

Zenos stared outside below to figure his potential escape route. He determined from the ground to the room was four floors high. The enormous tree right outside with sturdy branches provided the aid to freedom. A sore temptation to leave behind this place in pursuit of an overpowering and worthier prey to quench his hunger.

However, Zenos didn’t misinterpret the concealed emotion the scarred Amaurotine suppressed with his friends back at the warehouse and earlier when he awakened.

Boredom at the tedious punishment thrown at him from his practical joke.

His prey’s body tingled with mild excitement when the youthful prince carried his sneak attack.

And, even at the delight of a potential opponent capable of breaking his barrier.

Milksop and detached beast, the scarred Amaurotine, insisted at the front…

Beneath that mask, his eyes, like the color of blood, was a bloodthirsty predator as a prospect of a challenge he sought. Only an absolute fool would drop it for one and only freedom and opportunity granted to them.

“And that you did. Now, let’s meet your new friend into the family!” A gleeful male voice happily proclaimed, with footsteps of his growing louder to enter the apartment.

“What the—? W… Wait a minute, Hyth!” Phany’s voice hurriedly followed with his own footsteps to chase after his savage ally.

The noise of the entrance’s door opening alerted the young prince’s awareness. He made his course to the damaged cupboard without creating a sound to hide. Once inside and well-hidden, the door clicked open with a pair of footsteps entering the room.

“Good grief, Hyth! I appreciate we’re sort of family, but don’t just barge into my house….” His prey’s exasperated voice chided at his friend’s behavior.

“True… But family worry if you and your creations are having another family feud again, Phany,”

‘Hyth,’ whom his prey called, reminded his friend.

Zenos peered through the brief opening of the cupboard to glimpse outside. A pair of black-hooded white-masked robed figures entered his view. The smaller person, his hunter, wondered where the young prince, before his gaze settled at the shoebill.

Another gaze captured the young prince’s attention. It wasn’t the shoebill or his hunter who strode to the window, but the towering figure kneeled down, greeting and petting his hunter’s pets. His head darted to where the youthful prince hid, as though noticed from the start where he was.

The stare from the taller robed figure studying him behind his mask, Zenos deduced.

An enemy or an ally to his hunter, attempting to determine his purpose of hiding instead of running.

Zenos’s lips twisted a faint smirk, thinking. “This savage isn’t as feeble as that hunter. Perhaps a worthier challenge instead—!”

“I’m afraid you passed your judgment too early, Phany’s little new friend.” An unknown voice entered Zenos’s mind.

To his brief surprise, the taller Amaurotine directed an enigmatic smile to the youthful prince. One finger lifted to his lips to assert it’s a secret between them for discovering the young prince’s existence while talking into his mind. “Nice to meet you, young one. My name is Hythlodaeus, a childhood friend to my dear little Phany here.”

“I have made no mistake of my judgment, savage.” Zenos thought, his blue eyes narrowed at how casual this savage named Hythlodaeus sounded. “While he possesses the power you claimed off, he took pity of his own enemy who sought to take his life.”

“Oh my…. That doesn’t sound like the Phany I know,” Hythlodaeus turned his head elsewhere, picking up a small fawn-like creature into his arms. “He is powerful, or strongest among all I’ve seen.

“You’ve fought him yourself in a fight, no? Phany’s aether is yet hazy with an adrenaline surge, appears in doing his best creation, pranks, or hunting down runaway creations.”

The larger Amaurotine tipped his head to where Zenos hid with a tight smile while cradling to soothe the fearful fawn. “Whatever his objectives of not challenging you, I’m positive he has his own reason. He’s never one to refuse or run away from the pleasure between life and death.”

It implied his savage friend even knew of the hidden bloodlust that the cowardly prey attempted to conceal. The young prince found no reason to trust or to doubt this ‘Hythlodaeus’s’ remarks of his own ally. It left for him to tear away that mask his prey wore.

Giving one last satisfied grin at Zenos’s silence, Hythlodaeus stood with the young fawn-like creature in his arm. “That’s odd, I could have sworn there’s a unique shade of red like your soul’s uniqueness was here.”

Before Hythlodaeus approached to where the young prince hid, Phany stepped in between, blocking the prince’s view by his black robe. “He’s… He is timid around strangers, Hyth. I’ll introduce him to you and the Protégé once he’s a little more comfortable, alright?”

“All right, it’s a promise. Give either Hades or me a call if babysitting is overtaxing you and your work, Phany.” Then he delivered the reason of his arrival to his childhood friend. Footsteps belonging to Hythlodaeus left the room.

Minutes later, once the taller savage left the area, Phany’s voice called out. “… Come out, Zenos. You’re hiding in my room by the Stars know where. You would quit my place while I spoke to the ice queen and Hyth. Yes, I likewise noticed you’re listening in on our conversation earlier.”

Perhaps a time when the young prince met that large savage friend of his prey for a challenge, Zenos would require to be patient. He pushed opened the cupboard door and strode out to meet his hunter. “… And things were being a little more interesting…”

“How about picking fights with people from your own size?” The older Amaurotine removed his mask to roll his eyes at the Garlean prince’s criticism. Then a questioning gaze from his reddish-brown eyes focused at him. “I’ve seen from Hadey’s memories… You’ve had the chance to run and go back home. So why…?”

“……… You owe me a proper challenge, beast.” Zenos answered after a minute of silence. His pale blue eyes narrowed with a caustic criticism. “If you’re not a coward and given in that hunger you masked poorly, I would’ve escaped with satisfaction.”

“For damn’s sake, I’m not attacking a kid, and that’s final!” Phany smacked with his hand onto his scarred face. Now, his own reddish-brown orbs narrowed at the youth before him. “Didn’t you mention you got here by your dream or something? Couldn’t you have just napped your way back home instead of listening in a private discussion?!”

“Hardly a private matter if you know what is an indoor voice, savage.” The young prince scoffed. He turned his head away and murmured, “Also… It seems I’m unable to return home.”

“What…?”

One pale blue eye peered briefly to catch his hunter’s scarred face flickered with surprise. Zenos simply continued without a beat. “Before those savage insignificant creatures woke me, I’ve tried willing to slumber as how I appeared to your land. Yet it shows my soul remains here…”

Excluded how noisy his prey’s little pets were from being a light sleeper, Zenos wasn’t able to get his sleep. A few tosses and turns of his slumber, he lay down on his back, facing the ceiling above him. It was as though his full physical body was here than his chamber in Garlemald. 

“I see… If only you’re a runaway soul, Hyth or that Protégé would—!” As Phany murmured to himself, an idea leaped into his mind. One hand snapped his finger, and he exclaimed aloud, “That’s right…!”

“Hm?”

Phany grinned at the impassive face the young prince wore and explained. “Master Emet-Selch knows about a soul and lifestream better than anybody! I’m confident he’ll know how to get you home, Zenos.”

“Emet-Selch?” Zenos repeated the strange name his prey uttered a few times before.

“He’s one of the higher-ranking members in the Convocation of Fourteenth. They are guardians or think of them as government bodies of Amaurot. He’s in charge of the Underworld mainly.” Phany answered, heading over to pick up the now cold bowl of soup.

The older Amaurotine simply smiled at the young prince who nodded faintly to acknowledge his explanation. 

“No one understands a soul, unlike anyone else. The one who came in the room earlier, he’s one of Master Emet-Selch’s pupils.”

“Is he strong? That savage ‘friend’ of yours?”

Phany rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time at the young prince’s attitude. He made a thoughtful expression before shaking his head. “Hmm… Hyth fares well in combat. Though I have seldom seen him fight, or he prefers not to. He prefers to sit behind to study souls and people flouting about.”

The scarred Amaurotine noticed the frown formed on Zenos’s lips. He tried to cheer him up. “No need for that sulking face, Zenos. I’m certain your land will have much stronger people—!”

“I’m not sulking, savage,” Zenos countered. 

Was every Amaurotines, who possessed considerable powers, pathetic weaklings instead of reveling in the force of brutality? 

A regret left a bitter taste in the young prince of entering this monotonous land.

“Ok, you little brat.” Phany rolled his eyes, as though perceiving the inner annoyance from the young prince. 

Pair of reddish-brown eyes peering with an expression to see if any further violent retaliation would come from Zenos.

By the emotionless blue eyes conveyed no concern other than indifference. The scarred Amaurotine snapped his fingers. 

Blue glowing tendrils around Zenos’s wrist dissipated in shimmers of light.

Phany headed towards the exit, throwing one last glance at him with a cautious but firm voice. “Let’s… Call it a day here. Get some sleep, or try to, Zenos. I’ll bring you to meet Master Emet-Selch tomorrow. If… You’re still here by some miracle.”

Once his pets left the room, Phany pulled the door closed with a click. His footsteps headed somewhere, leaving Zenos all by himself. A quick glance at his freed wrists, then the door. It would be useless to escape with no way to return home.

Lied back onto the bed and pulled the covers over his body, the young prince closed his eyes…. Allowing slumber to take his soul and spirited him back from this uneventful land…

=*=

Early dawn inside Phany’s residence, the scarred Amaurotine in his matching black turtleneck and trousers, finished cooking breakfast for himself and Zenos. 

He peeked to view the young prince remained asleep in his room, which… Upon realizing his existence remained in Amaurot showed the latter wasn’t able to go back to his home.

“Morning—!” Upon hearing the footsteps entering the dining-slash-kitchen space, Phany looked up only to return the same scowl Zenos wore on his face. “Need not scowl me in this beautiful morning, Zenos. I catch your point; you’re still here as correct you are.”

Phany placed down a plate of butter toast with a sunny side up sprinkled with pepper and finely chopped chives. The other put down a cup emitting a warm aroma of coffee at the dining table.

The impassive expression masking the irritation Zenos of being stuck in this foreign land for another day. 

His blue eyes glaring at everyone, attempting where looks could murder someone before him now.

Not waiting for the permission, the youthful prince took the seat where the cooked meal set before him. Phany heaved a breath to calm himself at the judgmental stare the Garlean youth giving at his cooking. “It’ll be a tiring day for you, so I make some breakfast. You have eaten nothing the day before. And I’m sure you’re hungry by now.

The scarred Amaurotine turned away from placing the last animal feed to the reptile creatures. Right when Zenos was to open his mouth, a hand raising with one finger stopped and cut off his words. “Before you condemn my skills, your imperial highness. Take a bite, then you decide.”

“Did you poison it perchance?” Zenos picked the fork and knife up to cut a tiny piece.

Phany stroke the baby bat’s head, smiling at the bat, eating the fruit for breakfast. “I’m not your assassin who’s after your life, nor I have an interest in taking it away. If you’re hoping for that, you’ve got the wrong kidnapper, kid.”

“Hmm…,” Not wasting any more time, Zenos took one last glance at the garnished pepper sunny side up before eating. It was bare to no different from the cook in the Garlemald Royal Castle, who made his meals daily or snacks during training. The same repetitive taste of buttery with the spicy flavor of the black pepper.

Yet…. Each time Zenos chew his food… A strange and indescribable feeling developed from his unfeeling heart. It wasn’t poisoned from assassins he slaughtered. He’d be able to identify how poorly concealed they were in his drink and meal. It didn’t consider being terrible, nor better to his standards born of a silver spoon.

“Well… What do you think?” Phany’s voice drew the young prince away from his reflections. Zenos looked over to see Phany standing near opposite of his own seat with a peculiar expression.

“… It’s different,” The sole comment Zenos summarized what he perceived and discerned of his prey’s cooking. That emotion which he saw no fit to cease eating and finished the meal his hunter made for him. Zenos’s aloof expression made his prey further bewildered as he went on eating his sunny side up then his toast.

“Different?” Phany seated at the dining table to eat his own breakfast. His scarred face grew even more perplexed at what the young prince meant who drained his brewed coffee. He let out a resignation sigh to signify he gave up on uncovering the reason.

While gulping down his coffee, Phany remembered and put his cup down. “That’s right. Once you’re finished eating, come with me to my room.”

“Why?” Zenos questioned.

“There’s something important I need to give you before we head out today,” Phany simply grinned, only to earn suspicious stare from the young prince. His reddish-brown eyes narrowed and let out an exasperated scoffed. “No, I’m not giving you your weapon back just yet. It’s a little for your brief and regrettable stay at Amaurot.”

Took a sip of his coffee, Zenos’s eyes narrowed…. It couldn’t be even duller than him being refused of a challenge, right…?

=*=

Hours later, Phany and Zenos stood in the living room, where both now clad in the same black robes like every Amaurotine. There’s no doubt resistance from the young prince, throwing punches and kicks from Phany’s attempt to make him wore a spare black robe and white mask from his youth. The two pieces fitted, if not somewhat bigger, to the youthful prince.

After the older Amaurotine promising to return his rapier upon putting on the clothes, Zenos snatched the two pieces and booted the Amaurotine out to change. Now one insistently adjusting from his prey to tuck his hair behind the mask, he took a step backward and made a ridiculous grin. “Fufu! As I thought, the robe of my youth fits you snugly!”

However, Zenos swung his head away from the shining reddish-brown orbs, letting out an annoyed grunt from his perturbed face. “This is ridiculous…”

The rapier resting on his left by the black robes the young prince being forced into. White masked placed firm on his face, and the hood pulled above his head with discomfort at the needless get-up. Before Zenos tore the mask away, a pair of bigger hands grasped for his own.

One large hand tugging his hood over Zenos’s head, the other hand holding Zenos’s own to prevent his mask from being taken off. As he struggled free, Phany chided him in frustration. “W-Woah woah! No taking off that mask and hood, you damn brat!”

On meeting the hand pulling his hood moving towards his third eye, Zenos glared behind the mask and lifted a hand to smack it away. The scarred Amaurotine flapped his hand at the reminder of his physical prowess despite being a young juvenile.

Sensed the glare remained on the youthful prince’s face, Phany rolled his eyes to emphasize his earlier words back in his room. “Look here, kid. When you’re in Amaurot, do what Amaurotines do. You’re not my captive, prisoner, or prize of a ‘hunt.’

“I’ll need you in the guise of an Amaurotine youth to take you around the city. And quit calling me a beast or savage,” Before Zenos insisted on that nickname for his behavior, Phany raised one finger to stop him from interrupting. “Also, I have a name, it’s ‘Phan’ or ‘Phany’ to you, Zenos.”

“If you have not held back before, I would consider, savage,” Zenos replied with a blunt tone, gaining irritation from the scarred Amaurotine. He shifted back to his robes, fixing the collar, hood, and sleeves to give better relief and ease to move into combat.

After issuing orders to the stag-like creature like taking care of the apartment, Phany turned to him. “I’m going to bring you to visit Master Emet-Selch to uncover a path in sending you back to wherever you’re from. 

“The Underworld and Lifestream where souls enter and go will provide suggestions.”

Ah, yes, one of the Amaurot’s guardians his prey spoke of. Perhaps, being a guardian, he may not be a wimp and offered him a challenge he sought for. As though sensing Zenos’s intentions from the vacant gaze, Phany shook his head. “I’m sure your parents are worried from remaining here too long. Your opinions are the same as mine, so—!”

“My father neither cares nor worries if I live or die.” Zenos interrupted, unfazed by the shocked look on his prey.

“Then, your mom—?!”

“She passed away from an illness after a few days of my birth,” The young prince returned with a neutral tone. After his mother died, his father barely appeared in his life.

Zenos remembered he seldom met his father from weeks to moons. Never once concerned in his well-being but checking his progress trained as a killing machine in cover as the next imperial successor. 

His earlier disclosure was a mere understatement of how little his father cared for him, vice versa.

Looking at the scarred Amaurotine, Zenos frowned at what he saw. His prey’s eyebrows furrowed, his lips made a thin line, and his pair of blood-colored eyes…. The young prince’s blue orbs narrowed and scowled at the concern receiving from his prey. “I have no desire for your pity, savage. Tis’ something none of your concern.”

“The only pity you’ll ever gain from me is death itself, which I have no intention of pitying you.” Phany snapped at the young prince from interrupting his thoughts.

But, a reluctant expression displayed on the scarred Amaurotine’s face. 

As though weighing whether it was alright to confess his own thoughts. 

Though by the apathetic expression lingered on Zenos’s face, Phany admitted. “I… I’m surprised to hear of your family situation, that’s it.”

“Is that hardly of astonishment to your kind, savage? Or a first to meet such a family, unlike yours?” Zenos scoffed, perhaps not purely a cowardly fool, his prey was more naïve than he expected.

“Unfortunately, both my parents died when I was a baby, so I don’t understand what an ordinary family is like.”

Thankful for the mask, it hid the mild surprise expression from his eyes at his prey’s revelation. While Zenos expected a bark with no bite retort, he wasn’t predicting this.

“Damn it, this is awkward…” Phany raised one hand to scratch the back of his head. Even though he usually kept his mouth shut on his past…. The questioning gaze from Zenos demanded otherwise.

A brief sigh escaped from the scarred Amaurotine, shaking his head and disclosed. “An accident where a beast of the Akademia’s creation went rampant in the lab. 

“They sacrificed themselves to protect everyone and to contain the creature before it could take anyone’s.” 

While Zenos remained silent to listen, Phany went on with an apathy tone. “No relatives take me in. And so, the Headmistress who are the dearest friends of my parents brought in the infant me to her orphanage and raise me herself.”

“… Why did you tell me this?” Zenos finally demanded. While he was curious, the savage had no reason to obey his whims, seeing how feisty he was. Did he ought to assume he would receive sympathy from him?

“Why, you asked?” Thoughtful expression colored the scarred Amaurotine’s face. 

Confusion also appeared on realizing why he admitted his past so freely to the young prince.

Phany turned back to Zenos and grinned. “Because you seem like you aren’t giving me sympathy, it’s genuinely refreshing for a change. It becomes annoying when people either pitying my predicament or admiring my parents as heroes to look up to.

“And so, you’ll not earn my pity as I’ll not receive yours. I suppose we have an understanding of this, won’t we?”

“…… Yes, it doesn’t make you any less of a savage beast.” Zenos nodded. An unfamiliar feeling stemmed from his heart. The unexplained strangeness of seeing his own prey to have something in common with him.

The scarred Amaurotine’s smile twitched in irritation at the nickname. “And, calling people ‘beast’ doesn’t make you any less like one, little brat.”

A quick glance at the clock, the scarred Amaurotine pulled up his hood and slipped on his white mask back onto his face. “Let’s get moving, Zeze! Master Emet-Selch is a busy man, and it’ll be troublesome to tell when he got the free time!”

While Phany spun around to fetch his belongings from a flick of his wrist. Zenos’s hand grasped for his rapier, unsheathing and striking it towards the unguarded rear of his prey. 

However, the scarred Amaurotine whirled behind in time to thwart with a glowing translucent blue barrier.

The rapier blade insistently pressed forward to break through the barrier. Zenos’s bored voice now with disbelief and irritation at the nickname his prey dared gave him. “What did you just call me, beast…? ‘Zeze’…?”

“I won to a certain extent from that last fight. It’s only right the victor gets to call by whatever name they chose.” Phany answered before delivering a sneer at him. “Keep calling me savage or beast, and that’ll be your name forever in my mind, Zeze.”

How dare this savage claimed he won from the ambush? Zenos’s blue orbs beneath the mask narrowed with irritation. The grip of his rapier tightened, plunging its blade forward with more tenacity than before.

Phany’s hand forming the barrier faltered slightly by the sudden strength. But he remained unconcerned of the possibility of it broken and simply rolled his eyes under the mask. “Again, it’s a tradition by our kind. One doesn’t disclose their actual name to another unless it’s kin. Or someone you viewed as your equal like your spouse or someone worthy.

“You’re still a wanted person by the Convocation for your unexpected appearance. So, how about this? If you can feign to be whoever I announced you as and behave yourself…. I’ll challenge you right before you leave for home. No handicaps or anything, I’ll go out with all I’ve got. You can trust me on this.”

Zenos determined for any gleams of emotions betraying the vow from his savage. 

Yet, his body presented no hints of a hidden motive or his gaze showing sincerity and honesty to uphold his speech. Mayhap, his own opinion of his cowardly hunter, may have changed a little.

“…… Very well, I’ll see that you to keep your vow, my prey.” Zenos retracted his rapier back into the sheath at his waist after being a little satisfied with creating a notable minor dent on the barrier.

A fatigue sigh emerged from Phany on looking at him returned to his usual bored expression. He gave one more energetic grin to the young prince after flicking away his barrier. “Come on, Zeze. I must drop by to my office first to pick up some stuff. Then we’ll find Master Emet-Selch!”

For now, Zenos allowed the savage to call him whatever foolish names he wanted. He waited for the moment his prey showed his weak spot from his naivety and cut him down. Until then… The young prince accompanied the scarred Amaurotine to take him wherever he required to be.


End file.
